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(No Model.)

J, B. GLEAVELAND. WIRE STRETGHER AND TENSION DEVICE.

No. 459,392.- Patented Sept. 15, 1891.

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ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. OLEAVELAND, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

WlRE-STRETCHER AND TENSION DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,392, dated September 15, 1891.

Application filed March 12, 1891.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN B. CLEAVELAND, a citizenof the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improved Wire-Stretcher and Tension Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the combination, with the windlass of a wire-stretcher for fencewires, of an automatic tension device whereby the wire is held taut without :danger of breaking under varying temperature.

The object of my improvement is to provide, in connection with the windlass of a wire-stretcher, a yielding retaining device which shall permit the winding of the Wire upon the windlass to the extent required to stretch the wire properly and shall then hold the windlass with a yielding force to prevent its turning, except as it shall yield to the contraction or expansion of the wire under different temperatures.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan of my device as applied to a wooden post. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is aplan of the device applied to a metallic post.

A is the windlass, which is mounted in bearings formed in the brackets B B, which are adapted to be secured to the post. The windlass is provided with the ratchet-wheel O.

D is acoiled spring which is mounted loosely on the windlass. One end of said spring is secured to the bracket B, as at E, and the other end is adapted and arranged to engage the ratchet-wheel of the Windlass, so as to Serial No. 384,713. (No model.)

hold the windlass with ayielding force against the tension of the wire F, wound thereon.

In operation, the fence-wire having been secured at one end to adistant fence-post and at the other end to the windlass, the windlass is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow and the Wire is Wound upon the Windlass until sufficiently taut. The windlass is prevented from turning backward and the wire thus held taut by the spring D, which, however, yields to any contraction of the wire and also draws the windlass back to its original position when the wire again expands. In case it is desired to increase the tension of the spring at any time the free end of the spring is carried forward one or more spaces on the ratchet-wheel.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a Wire-stretcher, the combination of the bracket adapted to be secured to the post, the windlass mounted in said bracket, and the coiled spring secured at one end to the bracket and connected at the other end to the windlass, all arranged to co-operate substantially as set forth.

2. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of the bracket adapted to be secured to a post, the windlass mounted in; said bracket, the ratchet-wheel secured to the windlass, and the coiled spring having one end secured to the bracket and its opposite end arranged to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth. JOHN B. OLEAVELAND.

Witnesses:

-H. P. Hoon,

V. M. I-Ioon. 

